Buddha mask

From the Changsou metro station in Guangzhou, it took five minutes to walk to the antique street. The antique street was located in a long narrow lane. Stores selling antiques and ivory products were on both sides of the lane, but only a few jade stores could be found. These stores were uniformly decorated with green tiles and red bricks, but what was being sold inside the store was quite different.

Scared to death at the sight of the Buddha mask? This eerie mask could give one the chills even in broad daytime. It would make the best prop for a Halloween party. Look at those eyes. Did they witness the ups and downs of China? And look at its variegated face. Could it be the traces of its age?

Sandalwood Octagonal Pavilion

The exquisitely carved pavilion was made of sandalwood which had a special fragrance, "a mind-refreshing wood" as recorded in ancient medical books. Getting close to it you could smell the subtle penetrating scent. The "ice scent" of Xi Bou-chai, a character in Dream of the Red Chamber, might only be as good. The pavilion had two stories and four sides. The figures on the eaves were Chinese immortals, which were believed to function as talismans. Under the eaves you could find sets of brackets on top of columns supporting the beams within and roof eaves without (each set consisting of tiers of outstretching arms called gong, cushioned with trapezoidal blocks called dou). Even the window design, usually called ornamental engraving, was spotless. Ancient Chinese people used to decorate windows with ornamental engraving; and in winter they sealed the engraving with gauze. In ancient times wealthy families were fastidious with the patterns of gauze on their windows. How much did this octagonal sandalwood pavilion cost? To my disappointment, the shop owner refused to tell me.

Editor: Weiwei